Transmitter arrangements are utilised to generate optical signals by means of a transmitter and to couple the optical signals provided in the form of light signals into an optical waveguide, in particular into an optical fibre. Transmitting light from the transmitter to the optical fibre connection may be effected using an optical coupling unit, for example, which guides the light emitted by the transmitter. To this end the optical coupling unit normally comprises optical elements such as in the form of optical lenses.
The document US 2009/0016733 A1 discloses an optical transceiver, where the optical coupling unit is arranged on a circuit board. The optical coupling unit is used by several channels to transmit light signals between optical fibres and photo-electric elements. The photo-electric elements are designed to receive light signals and convert them into electrical signals. In addition they may also be configured to convert received electrical signals into light signals in order to then guide the generated light to optical fibres via an optical coupling unit. Such arrangements which can convert both light signals into electrical signals (receiver) and electrical signals into light signals (transmitter) are also referred to as transceivers.
In conjunction with arrangements for sending optical signals it is also known to transfer part of the light generated by the transmitter to a monitor diode, which makes it possible to monitor the transmitter's light signal emissions. If required control signals may be derived from the signals at the monitor diode, which are fed back to the transmitter control in order, for example, to achieve an essentially constant intensity of the emitted light signals.